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Some of the power leaves me. My body itches with need. I look around quickly, and my eyes land on a bucket of water. My fingers sink in, gathering it to me, and I sigh from the pleasure of it. Far below me, I can sense the sea life. Water rushes across gills, curls over tentacles, bubbles up from the sandy bottom. A startled fish changes direction at the approach of the ship. A dolphin prepares to breach the surface. A whale hums far in the distance.
And I am queen over them all.
This cage will not hold me long, and when I’m free, I will have the men on this ship dance for me until their feet bleed.
There’s a quiet groaning of hinges, a whisper of feet. A face peeks around the corner.
It’s one of the men. I smile at him coyly, showing just a hint of teeth. Not enough to show him the predator I am. With one curled finger, I beckon him forward. He listens, but takes no more than a couple of steps, distancing us by several feet.
He’s a handsome fellow with silky-looking brown hair. I can picture perfectly how it would look submerged underwater, the strands being brushed by the waves as his corpse bumps onto the shore.
There is a spark of fear in those rich brown eyes. They’re dotted with gold. Fascinating. If I could just reach one with the tip of my nail, I could pluck it out and…
Those eyes firm up with determination. Is he resolved to be unafraid? Well, let me help the poor fool. I round out my mouth and let a few low notes drop from my lips. It’s a slow, sensual rhythm that should bring him to me faster than he can blink.
But the man doesn’t move. He points to his ears. Ah, yes. The humans think they’re safe if they cannot hear me. Doesn’t he know I can do more than sing?
Very carefully, I roll my sleeves up past my elbows, showing off more skin. I run my fingers slowly through my hair, letting the strands fall around my shoulders. The man is riveted, watching my every move.
At last I lean back on the cushions, arching my breasts upward, and stroke the cushions next to me lovingly in invitation.
He turns right around and walks away from me, never giving me a second look. I half scream, half sing at him to return, but of course he cannot hear a thing. All it does is force me to take in more of the water.
***
I stretch and yawn after waking the next morning. Niridia is waiting for me outside the cell with breakfast and boots.
“Sleep well?”
“Like the dead.”
Satisfied that I’m my usual self, she opens the cell and thrusts the tray of food at me. While I busy myself with bread and eggs, Niridia reaches for the bucket.
“Had a rough night, did we?”
“What do you mean?” I ask, wiping crumbs from my face.
“There’s not a drop left.”
The siren in me will eventually give up calling on my crew with her song. There’s usually plenty of water left in the bucket. But last night was different.
It comes back to me quickly.
“Riden,” I growl.
“What?”
“The fool came down here last night.” I stuff the rest of my breakfast in my mouth and shove my feet into the boots as I walk.
“Stars help him,” Niridia mutters from behind me.
I’m up top in an instant, scanning the faces around me. I spot Mandsy in a corner, folding some clothing she’s likely just finished mending.
“Where is he?” I snap.
Riden was her charge until he finished healing. She knows exactly who I mean byhe.
She points near the stowed rowboats, where Lotiya andDeshel have cornered Riden. That only makes my temper flare further.
